Pesticide Worker Safety

The safety of agricultural field workers and pesticide handlers is an important focus of Nevada County’s Pesticide Use and Enforcement program. Inspectors perform compliance activities to ensure safe working conditions, proper use of personal protective equipment, and training for employees who work with or around pesticides.

Any employee handling pesticides in a production agricultural setting, including vineyards, timber, Christmas trees and nursery stock, is required to be trained by someone holding a Qualified Applicator's License (QAL), unless that employee already holds a Qualified Applicator's Certificate (QAC).

Additionally, any employee working around pesticide applications must also be trained.

The Pesticide Safety Information Series (PSIS) leaftlets were developed as a training aid for employees. California regulations require these documents to be part of pesticide handler and field worker training. The leaflets are in PDF format in English, Spanish and Punjabi. Any employee and worker safety training must be documented.